June has been encouraging so far. My story, 'The Adult Prodigy', has been accepted for Nameless magazine; I've had the proofs of 'Heavy Air' for the Bridge House anthology, so that should be out soon; one of my poems, 'Masters of the Air', came fifth in Mary Charman-Smith's competition and another, 'DNA', was shortlisted. I say all this not just to show off, but because it reminded me that sometimes competitions have prize-giving events, and while these are fun, they can also be nerve-wracking if you're expected to read out your work.Anyone who belongs to a writers' group will probably be used to having to read work out to other members, but even then there's a first time for everyone, so here are a few tips:

* Make sure that your work is printed clearly. Choose an easy-to-read font that is large enough to decipher without having to fiddle around finding your glasses.* Fasten the pages together or keep them in a folder, so you don't have to worry about them getting lost or muddled if you drop them.* Lower your voice. That is, deepen the tone and speak from the diaphragm rather than the throat. Think Margaret Thatcher rather than Mickey Mouse. Your words will be easier to hear without you having to shout or strain your voice.* Take it slowly and remember to breathe. The temptation is to rush, but this increases the chances of you slurring your words or tripping over sentences. If you run out of breath in the wrong place, it makes a nonsense of punctuation. Rushing makes it harder for people to make out what you say and could result in people asking you to repeat something (not for an encore).* Practise, but not too much. Simply read the piece through once or twice to discover places where you might stumble and change them if you can. If it's too late for amendments, at least you'll be ready. If you do stumble, don't be thrown. Correct the offending word or phrase and carry on.* Whatever you do, don't be tempted to have a drink to steady your nerves–it will only make your tongue to big for your mouth!* Finally, don't be tempted to chicken out and get someone else to read the work for you, or worse still, not go. Being invited to read your winning entry at a prize-giving is part of the prize, so enjoy being in the limelight and have a day to treasure.

About Me

K S Dearsley

Northampton, England

My writing career began as a freelance feature writer for the local press, businesses and organisations. Now a prize-winning playwright and short story writer, my work has appeared in numerous publications on both sides of the Atlantic. I write as K. S. Dearsley because it saves having to keep repeating my forename, and specialise in fantasy and other speculative genres.